INTRODUCTION

THE AUTHOR of the Koreshan System of Universology (upon the basis of the law of comparative analogy) announced, in 1870, the discovery of the cosmogonic form, which he then declared to be cellular; the surface of the earth being concave, with a curvature of about eight inches to the mile. This rate of curvation would give a diameter of eight thousand, and a circumference of twenty-five thousand miles.

Applying the common laws and principles of optics, with perspective foreshortening, all the phenomena of appearances in optical illusion were scientifically accounted for, and the earth optically demonstrated to be concave, although visual appearances seemed to indicate the contrary.

Upon the assumption that the surface of the earth is convex, there has been predicated that prodigious fallacy, the Copernican system, which, according to the admission of its most enthusiastic advocates and adherents, does not contain a single positive proof of scientific accuracy.

If we accept the logical deduction of the fallacious Copernican system of astronomy, we conclude the universe to be illimitable and incomprehensible, and its cause equally so; therefore, not only would the universe be forever beyond the reach of the intellectual perspective of human aspiration and effort, but God himself would be beyond the pale of our conception, and therefore beyond our adoration.

The Koreshan Cosmogony reduces the universe to Proportionate limits, and its cause within the comprehension of the human mind. It demonstrates the

possibility of the attainment of man to his supreme, inheritance, the ultimate dominion of the universe, thus restoring him to the acme of exaltation,--the throne of the Eternal, whence he had his origin.

The alchemico-organic cosmos (the physical universe) is the ultimate and therefore the most outward expression of creative power. It is the language of causation manifest in the form of symbolism. Given a knowledge of this form with its function, the cause is necessarily disclosed.

Deity, if this be the term employed to designate the Supreme Source of being and activity, cannot be comprehended until the structure and function of the universe are absolutely known; hence mankind is ignorant of God until his handiwork is accurately deciphered. Yet to know God, who, though unknown by the world, is not unknowable, is the supreme demand of all intellectual research and development.

Embraced in the system of which the external cosmic form is the mere outward cell is its correspondent, the macrocosmic or Grand Man. Outwardly, this is the visible humanity in the process of development toward a perfected state, not yet approached only as it was attained to in the Lord Christ, its germinal beginning, the firstfruits of the perfected genus.

The alchemico-organic cell is definitely structured. It is the egg from which the human macrocosm attains its incubation; hence, when humanity reaches its organic shape it must assume the correspondential organism. Therefore, if we know universal form as it obtains in the alchemico-organic cosmos, we can render the language of this form into that of the legitimate structure of society; for one is the pattern of the other. Its functions and activities can also be readily translated

Genuine societal fellowship will finally become a structured and composite unity, evolved through the application of intellectual potency and direction. It will become the anthropomorphic counterpart of the alchemico-organic (physical) world. A knowledge of the structure and function of the alchemico-organic cosmos constitutes the basis of a structured theology, which is essential to the organic unity and perpetuity of the human race.

It does not follow, because a fallacious theological system has maintained the world in a state of offensive and defensive belligerency, anarchy, and chaos, that a true knowledge of God and his relation to man and man's relations to him is not essential to genuine human perfection and happiness. In the emphasis of the contrast, regarding the end to be attained, between the genuine (the Koreshan) and the fallacious (the Copernican) system of cosmogony, we insist that all the labor of investigation, the time, and the wealth expended in the Copernican fallacy have had no specific purpose.

Why do we care to know whether the earth moves or is stationary? If the universe be illimitable, it is equally incomprehensible. Why, then, should humanity waste its potencies in the investigation of that which it has already pronounced incomprehensible, unknown, unthinkable, because illimitable? We sought to know the exact form of the universe because we knew it to be the language of cause; and knowing the effect, we assured ourselves of the cause, that through conscious knowledge we might enter into and become its power.

The interest of the Koreshan mind in the acquisition of universal knowledge resides in the fact that through it we become intellectually instrumental in the organization of the social fabric, and thus acquire social and individual perfection, thence universal and individual immortality. We learn to know of the form and function of the alchemico-organic cosmos, that we may insure the construction of the organo-vital cosmic organism.

The perfection of the individual structure depends upon the perfection of the Grand Man. The perfection of the human macrocosm (the Grand Man) depends upon the application of a few fundamental principles, revolutionary and sweeping in their influence. The principles of equilibrium are as essential to the institution and perpetuity of human happiness as they are to the eternal stability of the cosmic structure, the basis of which knowledge is found in the shape of the surface of the earth as geometrically confirmed in the application of the Rectilineator.

As the astral nucleus of the alchemico-organic cosmos is so related in form and function to the circumference containing it, as to receive the convergence of all "energies" 1 [substances], and radiate

them equitably to all parts of the cosmic structure; and as the heart of the vidual body, the seat of the commerce of the body, is the center of collection and distribution, hence society must be so organically structured as to be able to collect and distribute the products of Nature, coupled with industry and sustained by the application of economic law. The attainment of a knowledge of this law is founded upon a knowledge of the alchemico-organic cosmos.

It is so vastly important, in view of all these facts, for the world to possess a knowledge of the contour of the earth's surface, that we devoted the work of many months to mechanical application, for the purpose of giving to the world some simple mechanical proofs of what we have known and taught for [many] years.

Man's knowledge of man is his knowledge of God; not man as he is in his segregate state, but as he will be when the two forms (male and female) unite in the integralism of his biunity, of which the Son of God was the archetype. The Lord was Jehovah manifest in his human perfection.

To know the Lord Christ absolutely is to be in the consciousness of Deity; and to become like him is to sit upon the throne of his glory. This knowledge is so related to the structured alchemico-organic macrocosm, that to know of the earth's concavity and its relation to universal form is to know God; while to believe in the earth's convexity is to deny him and all his works. All that is opposed to Koreshanity is antichrist.

Footnotes

14:1 Energy is not a substance, but simply the work of the two qualities which could not engage in work were there not two constant states of the two. The term energy applies equally to matter and spirit. Matter and spirit, or matter and its essence, could not be active but through their relationship; and both are active by virtue of their conjoined effort as counter-parts in the processes of the perpetuity of creation. The term energy means in work; when matter is active it is in work, and the phenomenon of motion is the energy of matter. When its co-ordinate spirit or essence is in motion it is in work; therefore, we have the in-work or the energy of spirit. It requires these three to constitute a constantly active primate cycle of being.--Koresh in Flaming Sword, Vol. XIX, No. 16.